the caged lion-第48章

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any　sudden　panic；　or　faltering　in　friendship　to　England　and　her　infant　heir。　　Warwick　and　Salisbury　were　already　riding　post　haste　to　take　charge　of　the　army；　Robsart　was　gone　to　the　Queen；　Exeter　to　the　Duke　of　Burgundy；　and　as　the　clergy　were　all　engaged　with　the　tendance　of　the　royal　corpse；　there　was　scarcely　any　one　to　lessen　the　Duke's　toil。　　James；　knowing　Malcolm's　pen　to　be　ready；　had　sent　for　him　to　assist　in　copying　the　brief　scrolls；　addressed　to　each　captain　of　a　fortress　or　town；　announcing　the　father's　death；　and　commanding　him　to　do　his　duty　to　the　sonKing　Harry　VI。　　Each　was　then　to　be　signed　by　the　Duke；　and　despatched　by　men…at…arms；　who　waited　for　the　purpose。

Like　men　stunned；　the　half…dozen　who　sat　at　the　council…table　worked　on；　never　daring　to　glance　at　the　empty　chair　at　the　upper　end。　　The　only　words　that　passed　were　occasional　inquiries　of；　and　orders　from；　Bedford；　and　these　he　spoke　with　a　strange　alertness　and　metallic　ring　in　his　voice；　as　though　the　words　were　uttered　by　mechanism；　yet　in　themselves　they　were　as　clear　and　judicious　as　possible；　as　if　coming　from　a　mind　wound　up　exclusively　to　the　one　necessary　object；　and　the　facethough　flushed　at　first；　and　gradually　growing　paler；　with　knitted　brows　and　compressed　lipsbetrayed　no　sign　of　emotion。

Hours　passed：　　he　wrote；　he　ordered；　he　signed；　he　sealed；　he　mentioned　name　after　name；　of　place　and　officer；　never　moving　or　looking　up。　　And　James；　who　knew　from　Salisbury　that　he　had　neither　slept　nor　eaten　since　sixty　miles　off　he　had　met　a　worse　report　of　his　brother；　watched　him　anxiously　till；　when　evening　began　to　fall；　he　murmured；　'There　is　the　captain　ofofatbut'the　pen　slipped　from　his　fingers；　and　he　said；　'I　can　no　more！'

The　overtaxed　powers；　strained　so　longmind；　memory；　and　allwere　giving　way　under　the　mere　force　of　excessive　fatigue。　　He　rose　from　his　seat；　but　stumbled；　like　one　blind；　as　James　upheld　him；　and　led　him　away　to　the　nearest　bed…chamber；　where；　almost　while　the　attendants　divested　him　of　the　heavy　boots　and　cuirass　he　had　never　paused　all　these　hours　to　remove；　he　dropped　into　a　sleep　of　sheer　exhaustion。

James；　who　was　likewise　wearied　out　with　watching；　turned　towards　his　own　quarters；　but；　in　so　doing；　he　could　not　but　turn　aside　to　the　chapel；　where　before　the　altar　had　been　laid　all　that　was　left　of　King　Henry。　　There　he　lay；　his　hands　clasped　over　a　crucifix；　clad　in　the　same　rich　green　and　crimson　robes　in　which　he　had　ridden　to　meet　his　Queen　at　Vincennes　but　three　short　months　before；　the　golden　circlet　from　his　helmet　was　on　his　head；　but　it　could　not　give　additional　majesty　to　the　still　and　severe　sweetness　of　his　grand　and　pure　countenance；　so　youthful　in　the　lofty　power　that　high　aspirations　had　imprinted　on　it；　yet　so　intensely　calm　in　its　marble　rest；　more　than　ever　with　the　look　of　the　avenging　unpitying　angel。　To　James；　it　was　chiefly　the　face　of　the　man　whom　he　had　best　loved　and　admired；　in　spite　of　their　strange　connection；　but　to　Malcolm；　who　had　as　usual　followed　him　closely；　it　was　verily　a　look　from　the　invisible　worlda　look　of　awful　warning　and　reproof；　almost　as　if　the　pale　set　lips　were　unclosing　to　demand　of　him　where　he　was　in　the　valley　of　shadows；　through　which　the　way　lay　to　Jerusalem。　　If　Henry　had　turned　back；　and　warned　him　at　the　gate　of　the　heavenly　Sion；　surely　such　would　have　been　his　countenance；　and　Malcolm；　when；　like　James；　he　had　sprinkled　the　holy　water　on　the　white　brow；　and　crossed　himself　while　the　low　chant　of　Psalms　from　kneeling　priests　went　up　around　himclasped　his　two　hands　close　together；　and　breathed　forth　the　words；　'Oh；　I　have　wandered　far！　　O　great　King；　I　will　never　leave　the　straight　way　again！　　I　will　cast　aside　all　worldly　aims！　　O　God；　and　the　Saints；　help　me　not　to　lose　my　way　again！'

He　would　have　tarried　on　still；　in　the　fascination　of　that　wonderful　unearthly　countenance；　and　in　the　inertness　of　faculties　stunned　by　fatigue　and　excitement；　but　James　summoned　him　by　a　touch；　and　he　again　followed　him。

'O　Sir！'　he　began；　when　they　had　turned　away；　'I　repent　me　of　my　falling　away　to　the　world！　　I　give　all　up。　　Let　me　back　to　my　vows　of　old。'

'We　will　talk　of　that　another　time；'　said　James；　gravely。　　'Neither　you　nor　I；　Malcolm；　can　think　reasonably　under　such　a　blow　as　this；　and　I　forbid　you　rashly　to　bind　yourself。'

'Sir；　Sir！'　cried　Malcolm；　petulantly。　　'You　took　me　from　the　straight　way。　　You　shall　not　hinder　my　return！'

'I　hinder　no　true　purpose；'　said　King　James。　　'I　only　hinder　another　rash　and　hasty　pledge；　to　be　felt　as　a　fetter；　or　left　broken　on　your　conscience。　　Silence　now。　　When　men　are　sad　and　spent　they　cannot　speak　as　befits　them；　and　had　best　hold　their　peace。'

These　words　were　spoken　on　the　way　up　the　stair　that　led　to　the　apartments　of　the　King　of　Scots。　　On　opening　the　door　of　the　larger　room；　the　first　thing　they　saw　was　the　tall　figure　of　a　distinguished…looking　knight；　who；　as　they　entered；　flung　himself　at　King　James's　feet；　fervently　exclaiming；　'O　my　liege！　accept　my　homage！　　Never　was　vassal　so　bound　to　his　lord　by　thankfulness　for　his　life；　and　for　far　more　than　his　life！'

'Sir　Patrick　Drummond；　I　am　glad　to　see　you　better　at　ease；'　said　James。　　'Nay；　suffer　me；'　he　added；　giving　his　hand　to　raise　the　knight；　but　finding　it　grasped　and　kissed　with　passionate　devotion；　almost　overpowering　the　only　half…recovered　knight；　so　that　James　was　forced　to　use　strength　to　support　him；　and　would　at　once　have　lifted　him　up；　but　the　warm…hearted　Patrick　resisted；　almost　sobbing　out　'Nay；　Sir！　king　of　my　heart　indeed！　let　me　first　thank　you。　　I　knew　not　how　much　more　I　owed　you　than　the　poor　life　you　savedmy　father's　rescue；　and　that　of　all　that　was　most　dear。'

'Speak　of　such　things　seated；　my　good　friend；'　said　James；　trying　to　raise　him；　but　Drummond　still　did　not　second　his　efforts。

'I　have　not　given　my　parole　of　honour　as　the　captive　whose　life　is　again　due　to　you。'

'You　must　give　that　to　the　Duke　of　Bedford；　Sir　Patrick；'　said　James。　'I　know　not　if　I　am　to　be　put　into　ward　myself。　　In　any　case　you　are　safe；　by　the　good　King's　grace；　so　you　pledge　yourself　to　draw　no　sword　against　England　in　Scotland　or　France　till　ransom　be　accepted　for　you。'

'Alack！'　said　Patrick；　'I　have　neither　sword　nor　ransom。　　I　would　I　knew　what　was　to　be　done　with　the　life　you　have　given　me；　my　lord。'

'I　will　find　a　use　for　it；　never　fear；'　said　James；　sadly；　but　kindly。　　'Be　my　knight　for　the　present；　till　better　days　come　for　us　both。'

'With　my　whole　heart！'　said　Patrick；　fervently。　　'Yours　am　I　for　ever；　my　liege。'

'Then　my　first　command　is　that　you　should　rise；　and　rest；'　said　James；　assisting　the　knight　to　regain　his　feet；　and　placing　him　in　the　only　chair　in　the　room。　　'You　must　become　a　whole　man　as　soon　as　may　be。'

For　Patrick's　arm　was　in　a　sling；　and　evidently　still　painful　and　useless；　and　he　sank　back；　breathless　and　unresisting；　like　one　who　had　by　no　means　regained　perfect　health；　while　his　handsome　features　looked　worn　and　pale。　　'I　fear　me；'　said　James；　as　the　two　cousins　silently　shook　hands；　'that　you　have　moved　over　soon。You　surely　had　my　message；　Bairdsbrae？'

'Oh　yes；　my　lord；'　replied　Baird；　'but　the　lad　was　the　harder　to　hold；　and　after　the　fever　was　gone；　we　deemed　he　could　well　brook　the　journey　by　water。　　'Twas　time　I　was　here　to　guide　ye　too；　my　lord；　you　and　the　callant　baith　look　sair　forfaughten。'

'We　have　had　a　sad　time　of　it；　Nigel；'　said　James；　with　trembling　lip。

'And　if　Brewster　tells　me　right；　ye've　not　tasted　food　the　whole　day？'　said　Nigel；　laying　an　authoritative　hand　on　his　royal　pupil。　'Nay；　sit　ye　down；　here　come　the　varlets　with　the　meal　I　bade　them　have　ready。'

James　passively　yielded；　courteously　signing　to　the　others　to　share　the　food　that　was　spread　on　a　table；　and　with　the　same　scarcely　conscious　grace；　making　inquiries；　which　elicited　that　Patrick　Drummond's　hurts　had　been　caused　by　his　horse　falling　and　rolling　over　with　him；　whilst　with　Sir　John　Swinton　and　other　Scottish　knights　he　was　reconnoitring　the　line　of　the　English　march。　　He　was　too　much　injured　to　be　taken　back　to　the　far　distant　camp；　and　had　accordingly　been　intrusted　to　the　French　farmer；　w